Orchestra Leader and Songwriter. The arranger and producer was born in Hamburg, named Berthold Heinrich Kämpfert. At the age of six he started to play the piano. His nickname "Fips" was given him when he was a member of Hans Busch's orchestra. He was serving as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. During his imprisonment in Denmark he formed his own first big band, called "Pik Ass". His own first hit with his orchestra was "Wonderland by Night" in 1960. Lots of his tunes became better known as hits for other artists. One of his famous compositions is "Strangers in the Night", which became a hit for Frank Sinatra. Also composed by Kaempfert was "Spanish Eyes", which became an evergreen for Al Martino. Sung in German by Ivo Robić - "Mond guter Freund". Lot of his hits were composed and arranged with the help of his friend Herbert Rehbein. After their first meeting in 1951, they became best friends. He was deeply shocked of Rehbeins' death in July 1979. Kaempfert and Rehbein were posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1993.
Cause of Death: Stroke
∼Conductor/Composer/Musician. He was born Berthold Kaempfert in Hamburg, Germany and studied music there. It was there where he received his lifelong nickname "Fips." He learned to play many different instruments and served as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. He later formed his own big band and served as an arranger and producer. In 1961, he hired The Beatles to play back-up on Tony Sheridan's Polydor album. These are The Beatles' first known commercial recordings. His first hit for his own band was "Wonderland by Night" in 1960. He wrote many famous songs during his lifetime, which mainly became hits for other artists. Some of the songs that he wrote which became hits for other artists include: "Strangers in the Night" (Frank Sinatra), "Wooden Heart" (Elvis Presley), "Moon Over Naples/Spanish Eyes" (Al Martino), "Danke Schoen" (Wayne Newton), "L-O-V-E" (Nat King Cole), and "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" (Wayne Newton and Vic Dana). In the 1960s and 1970s, he influenced many artists with his unique style, including Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Several artists also released their own albums of his songs, including Bobby Hackett, Pete Fountain, the Anita Kerr Singers, Al Hirt, and Johnny Mathis. In the 1970s, his career began to slow down but he continued to record. He made several live appearances and recorded his own versions of many popular songs of the time, including Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft", which was admired by Hayes himself. A cigarette smoker, he died suddenly of a stroke at his home on the Spanish island of Majorca at the age of 56. One of his greatest passions was fishing in the Florida Everglades and it was his wish to be buried there.
Cause of Death: Stroke
∼Conductor/Composer/Musician. He was born Berthold Kaempfert in Hamburg, Germany and studied music there. It was there where he received his lifelong nickname "Fips." He learned to play many different instruments and served as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. He later formed his own big band and served as an arranger and producer. In 1961, he hired The Beatles to play back-up on Tony Sheridan's Polydor album. These are The Beatles' first known commercial recordings. His first hit for his own band was "Wonderland by Night" in 1960. He wrote many famous songs during his lifetime, which mainly became hits for other artists. Some of the songs that he wrote which became hits for other artists include: "Strangers in the Night" (Frank Sinatra), "Wooden Heart" (Elvis Presley), "Moon Over Naples/Spanish Eyes" (Al Martino), "Danke Schoen" (Wayne Newton), "L-O-V-E" (Nat King Cole), and "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" (Wayne Newton and Vic Dana). In the 1960s and 1970s, he influenced many artists with his unique style, including Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Several artists also released their own albums of his songs, including Bobby Hackett, Pete Fountain, the Anita Kerr Singers, Al Hirt, and Johnny Mathis. In the 1970s, his career began to slow down but he continued to record. He made several live appearances and recorded his own versions of many popular songs of the time, including Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft", which was admired by Hayes himself. A cigarette smoker, he died suddenly of a stroke at his home on the Spanish island of Majorca at the age of 56. One of his greatest passions was fishing in the Florida Everglades and it was his wish to be buried there.
Orchestra Leader and Songwriter. The arranger and producer was born in Hamburg, named Berthold Heinrich Kämpfert. At the age of six he started to play the piano. His nickname "Fips" was given him when he was a member of Hans Busch's orchestra. He was serving as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. During his imprisonment in Denmark he formed his own first big band, called "Pik Ass". His own first hit with his orchestra was "Wonderland by Night" in 1960. Lots of his tunes became better known as hits for other artists. One of his famous compositions is "Strangers in the Night", which became a hit for Frank Sinatra. Also composed by Kaempfert was "Spanish Eyes", which became an evergreen for Al Martino. Sung in German by Ivo Robić - "Mond guter Freund". Lot of his hits were composed and arranged with the help of his friend Herbert Rehbein. After their first meeting in 1951, they became best friends. He was deeply shocked of Rehbeins' death in July 1979. Kaempfert and Rehbein were posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1993.
Cause of Death: Stroke
∼Conductor/Composer/Musician. He was born Berthold Kaempfert in Hamburg, Germany and studied music there. It was there where he received his lifelong nickname "Fips." He learned to play many different instruments and served as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. He later formed his own big band and served as an arranger and producer. In 1961, he hired The Beatles to play back-up on Tony Sheridan's Polydor album. These are The Beatles' first known commercial recordings. His first hit for his own band was "Wonderland by Night" in 1960. He wrote many famous songs during his lifetime, which mainly became hits for other artists. Some of the songs that he wrote which became hits for other artists include: "Strangers in the Night" (Frank Sinatra), "Wooden Heart" (Elvis Presley), "Moon Over Naples/Spanish Eyes" (Al Martino), "Danke Schoen" (Wayne Newton), "L-O-V-E" (Nat King Cole), and "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" (Wayne Newton and Vic Dana). In the 1960s and 1970s, he influenced many artists with his unique style, including Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Several artists also released their own albums of his songs, including Bobby Hackett, Pete Fountain, the Anita Kerr Singers, Al Hirt, and Johnny Mathis. In the 1970s, his career began to slow down but he continued to record. He made several live appearances and recorded his own versions of many popular songs of the time, including Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft", which was admired by Hayes himself. A cigarette smoker, he died suddenly of a stroke at his home on the Spanish island of Majorca at the age of 56. One of his greatest passions was fishing in the Florida Everglades and it was his wish to be buried there.
Cause of Death: Stroke
∼Conductor/Composer/Musician. He was born Berthold Kaempfert in Hamburg, Germany and studied music there. It was there where he received his lifelong nickname "Fips." He learned to play many different instruments and served as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. He later formed his own big band and served as an arranger and producer. In 1961, he hired The Beatles to play back-up on Tony Sheridan's Polydor album. These are The Beatles' first known commercial recordings. His first hit for his own band was "Wonderland by Night" in 1960. He wrote many famous songs during his lifetime, which mainly became hits for other artists. Some of the songs that he wrote which became hits for other artists include: "Strangers in the Night" (Frank Sinatra), "Wooden Heart" (Elvis Presley), "Moon Over Naples/Spanish Eyes" (Al Martino), "Danke Schoen" (Wayne Newton), "L-O-V-E" (Nat King Cole), and "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" (Wayne Newton and Vic Dana). In the 1960s and 1970s, he influenced many artists with his unique style, including Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Several artists also released their own albums of his songs, including Bobby Hackett, Pete Fountain, the Anita Kerr Singers, Al Hirt, and Johnny Mathis. In the 1970s, his career began to slow down but he continued to record. He made several live appearances and recorded his own versions of many popular songs of the time, including Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft", which was admired by Hayes himself. A cigarette smoker, he died suddenly of a stroke at his home on the Spanish island of Majorca at the age of 56. One of his greatest passions was fishing in the Florida Everglades and it was his wish to be buried there.
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